Destiny
by Darth Echo
Summary: The Clone War has begun and the Republic has entitled command of the Galactic Rangers to Jedi Master Oni Kao. Alongside her partner-in-crime, Clone Marshal Commander Green, it seems as though nothing will stop the 10th Star Corps from achieving victory. But this is just the beginning, and a worse fate is yet to come to the galaxy.
1. Chapter 1: Mud

**A/N: I have been gone from fan fiction for awhile now, but I am back to keep posting Destiny. I really want to expand on Green and Oni's relationship throughout the Clone Wars. With all these new Star Wars movies coming out, I have so many ideas. That said, I hope you all enjoy this series. It has been edited from its first posting and certain aspects about the characters and the plot has changed. Thank you all for reading! ~Echo**

 **Notes: In case anyone is curious how to pronounce the main OC's name, here ya go ;)**

 **Oni Kao = Oh-knee Kay-oh** is a 24-year-old Jedi Master from the planet Talravin; her race is on the shorter side, with her being 5'3". Carries twin green blade lightsabers and wears Jedi armor similar to that from the Old Republic era. She's tan with long, golden brown hair and amber eyes.

 **Chapter 1: Mud**

"General! We've picked up a signal from Kenobi," a standard white clone trooper yelled from behind the debris of a fallen building. The Jedi fighting in front of him turned her head slightly, her golden brown hair falling down her shoulders, damp from rain. "Good, call for a retreat and we'll acknowledge it," she grunted in exhaustion as a droid shot at her head, her just barely deflecting it with an emerald-green blade. The clone activated his communication disk and called out to the rest of the troops. Within moments, all of the clones were slowly backing away from their positions towards the brush land.

The Jedi Master, a Human with light tan skin, amber brown eyes, and slender curves ran alongside her soldiers, pushing past the tall grass. In the zigzag patterns they retreat in, it would take the droids some time to find them, especially when the flora and liquidy brown covered their tracks.

Mud. It was everywhere.

Lothal was enduring a period of rain; a downpour would be a better term to explain it. For weeks, the Republic campaign on the planet had been suffering the grueling conditions the weather brought. Sleep was a rare luxury as the constant rain would soak one's bones to point of no comfort in any position. Mending wounds was ten times worse, as infection was augmented with the filthy conditions they were living in. The Separatist forces were too strong for them to secure a permanent F.O.B., leaving them with few options for shelter or cover.

The Jedi Master stopped running, almost slipping in the muck. Turning around, she peeked out from the tall grass to see the smoke from the battlefront. A few vulture droids flew overhead, releasing bombs upon the retreating Republic forces. So much for the zigzag patterns. The impact of the explosion shook the ground and a loud boom made the woman wince. A few screams could be heard in the distance as the boundaries of No Man's Land were clearly drawn out.

AT-TE walkers marched past the Jedi General in full retreat, clones perched atop their backs, firing upon the droids that trailed behind them. The woman turned to one with the Mandalorian symbol painted in black across the left side. Running up to the vehicle, she jumped and grabbed onto a handle bar, looking back to the battlefield as she did so. The droids were starting to halt and let them go, though the vulture droids continued their bombardment for a few minutes.

An A5 Juggernaut, which was carrying at least fifty infantrymen, got caught in a thick mud pit and started sinking in. The hyena bomber's aim grew closer and closer to the vehicle, landing barely a few meters away from its right side, causing the glass viewport of the command cabin to shatter and the whole combat wheeler to shake and lean over. The crew continued to make an attempt at driving the vehicle out of the mud pit, but the passengers jumped out of the boarding hatch and landed in the mud below.

The Jedi Master watched from the AT-TE as the bombardment reached the Juggernaut. Her eyes squinted from the bright light of the explosion and she temporarily looked away. With a sigh and a shake of her head, the woman slammed her hand on the cold metal of the walker and cursed.

One clone noticed his superior officer and reached down to offer her a hand up. She took it gratefully and, once upon the top of the walker, ignited a blade to protect her men from the blaster fire. They sat behind her with their DC-15A's cocked and aimed at the next target while the Jedi twirled her blade back and forth in a backhand grip. Her blazing amber eyes narrowed in concentration, the only goal to get her soldiers back alive.

* * *

About three miles from the front lines, a _Venator_ -class attack cruiser stuck out from the ground, it's exterior burnt and covered in mud splatters on the bottom. It was a remnant of their first attempt at landing on the surface, only to be shot down by proton cannons lining the city perimeter. Debris was stacked up to offer a small amount of shelter, enough to possibly lit a fire to keep warm. The troops gathered about in small groups for a period of rest while the Jedi ordered scouts to fan out before the droids had a chance to ambush them.

Their supply shipment was a week past due, so most of the men didn't have much to eat or drink. The same goes for their medical supply. So far, the medics have only been able to treat the most critical injuries. Those with bare cuts and "less significant" problems had to fend for themselves with the dwindling hope that the relief effort will come through.

The General, a twenty-four year old Master of the Jedi Order, walked around the makeshift base, looking for Marshal Commander Green. They had decided to split the 66th Ranger Battalion into two groups before engaging the Separatists. Due to the droids jamming their transmissions, there was no way for the Jedi to contact her clone officer without sending a squad to go find him.

The general spoke up, "Where is the Commander?" Most of the troopers shrugged and muttered amongst each other as they shivered. She didn't blame them: they were wet, cold, and downright miserable. But, as the Galactic Rangers, they were used to this: always being sent out to do the dirty work. Some men sucked it up and sat half covered by some sort of shelter, while others continued to shake and swear at the wind in Mando'a.

The Jedi rolled her liquid brown eyes as a tink tink sound filled the air. A majority of the clones surrounding her groaned as the rain came back in its never ending mission of drowning them. Many of them wore cloaks that somewhat resembled the Jedi's and wrapped them around their bodies tighter to keep the cold out. After the past few days, the action was virtually useless and contradictory as the robes would become soaked themselves and caked with mud. The only thing they were good for now was blocking the harsh winds.

Two clones in green-striped armor with black pauldrons and brown robes, a captain and a lieutenant, emerged from the grass and jogged up to the Jedi with haste. Their mud-covered boots splashed through the swampy water as they halted before the woman and saluted. "General Kao, we found a route into the city," the captain panted in a gruff voice as he caught his breath and handed a datapad to the Master, who took it with both glee and anxious doubts. His brother removed his helmet and ran a hand through his ruffled hair; a scar cut through his bottom lip and a tattoo of a rancor barely peeked out from the body suit covering his neck.

With a slight glare, the woman analyzed the screen of the device. The route was shaky, but it was something. If they could make it through the night, she could lead a team through to the radio tower.

"Good, we'll call in Delta Force as soon as this battle is over," Kao grew impatient, her scowl intensifying, "But where is the Green and the rest of the 66th?" She shivered as a gust of wind blew against her face, plastering her cold, damp, muddy hair against her face. Tightening her robe about her, the general looked to Lucas.

The captain took off his helmet, showing his rare blue eyes, full of confusion. "We thought he was with _you_. Our teams got separated and he sent our company back in retreat. I thought he retreated as well."

The female Jedi huffed and rolled her eyes once more, "Great, now we have to go out and find him. His company is the one knowledgeable of the route, I assume?" The one with the tattoo grunted, "I told you he wouldn't be with her, Lucas. We should have never left." His brother turned to him and glared, retorting in his older-sounding voice, "Well, I never knew you were a psychic, Dakota. I was trying to follow orders."

"Boys!" Kao scolded, "It would be helpful if you attended to the wounded. Kenobi's going to have my head if I return all of his men under flags." The officers saluted and jogged off to their task, a couple of troopers also marked with green following them.

* * *

The 66th Ranger Battalion of the 10th Star Corps was perhaps the most elite group of troopers in the Grand Army of the Republic, earning the title of Galactic Rangers. However, they were faced with the difficult task of learning how to be cohesive, as their extensive ARC training led them to be more independent thinking. Some brothers got along with one another and others bashed buckets whenever they got the chance.

There are two groups within the Battalion: the experienced ARCs and the overly-eager-to-prove-themselves rookies, who haven't _earned_ the title of commando just yet. Oni Kao and her partner in crime, Marshal Commander Green, consistently struggle to get them to work together, let alone getting along themselves.

Oni, pondering over this, shook her head and muttered as she stepped into the command center.

"I swear, these clones are going to be the death of me one day."

Her memory of Kenobi's transmission came to her and she immediately made way to the nearest holotable. Ignoring the mud splattering against her legs, she walked up to the control panel and hailed Obi-Wan's frequency.

Luckily for her, Kenobi was also "enjoying" a moment of peace.

"Ah, Oni, it's good to see you," the man with the scruffy beard greeted. Kao bowed in respect and gave a warm smile. She noticed how worn the older man looked, likely from the constant state of battle he's been in since the Battle of Geonosis, much like her. "As it is to see you, Obi-Wan. How fares your campaign?" Kenobi gave a frustrated yet humored sigh at this. "Unfortunately, we are low on supplies just as you are. The Separatists are recovering faster than we can shoot them down."

"I have observed as much," Kao replied more as a mumble. The con of having a clone army is waiting for new soldiers to be trained, while the droids had the advantage of building their numbers in mass production factories. Not only were the numbers imbalanced, but the Separatists did not have to worry about keeping their army warm and fed. Oni used this as one of her many reasons for not supporting the war, regardless of her position as a Jedi General.

"I am right to assume that air support is a no go?"

General Kenobi nodded gravely. "Hopefully your scouting of the city will help us determine the fire power they have that is preventing that. My best guess is the anti-air turrets the Separatists used against us on Muunilinst." His suggestion was received with an agreeing half-smile from his fellow Jedi Master. "I will contact Aloke Tano and see if Delta Force can provide support."

"Very good," Kenobi dipped his head, "I regrettably must go prepare my men for another assault. May the Force be with you, Master Kao." Oni bowed in respect, "And you, Obi-Wan."

After the transmission cut out, the young Jedi Master sighed out of frustration and days lack of sleep. Her head was constantly rattled with thoughts of battle tactics and warfare, something she has resented from the beginning. Once she began learning under Master Yoda, she had decided that war was a waste of life and couldn't possibly be the best option to solve issues. Of course, irony had to catch up with her and now here she was: a Jedi Master leading an entire Corps into battle as general. Not even hours of meditation could balance her again, however much she tried.

It took three tries to get a transmission through to Muunilinst. Instead of Aloke Tano, senior Jedi Padawan in charge of the black ops team, Oni was met by her second-in-command ARC Commander Alpha-C, or "John" as his men called him. The man was the only other survivor of Green's experimental elite commando batch on Kamino. Oni saw much of John, as he and Green were _vods_ and as close of brothers as you could get, although war seems to want to keep them apart.

"Evening, general," the red-striped officer greeted Kao with a salute and a polite smile. The woman smiled warmly, "Good evening, Commander. I trust the battlefront on Muunilinst is coming in our favor?" Alpha-C nodded crisply, "Yes, ma'am. After the destruction of the turrets two weeks ago, it seems as though the Separatists are beginning to fall back."

"Is Delta Force almost complete with their mission then?"

"Unfortunately, ma'am," John shifted in his place, still looking as attentive as ever, "A newly discovered droid factory in the capital has pushed our victory back a few days. We may not be ready to deploy for up to a week or so according to our scouts." Oni grunted lightly as she tried to come up with a solution. "That is unfortunate, Commander. Considering we'd need you to bring reinforcements with you, it may take you two weeks to get to us." Alpha-C tensed up, not comfortable with defeat of any kind. She could also sense his worry for his brother, considering they haven't spoken since the 66th split from Muunilinst.

"We shall double our efforts then, General. I'll contact Green with any news I get."

Kao grinned gratefully, "Thank you, Alpha. Please pass on my wishes of good luck to Commander Tano." The ARC saluted and the Jedi Master ended the transmission. Her eyes narrowed and she looked around the room. "Well, kriff." No Delta Force. No reinforcements.

* * *

Oni tried to hide her disappointment as she walked around camp to give aid; however, a few of her men were able to see past this and looked away with a lack of hope. It pained her to know how helpless and abandoned they felt. Besides her disapproval for the war, she genuinely cared about her men and tried to lead them to the best of her abilities.

She knew of Jedi generals who sat back behind a holo screen while their soldiers went out into battle. Kao made an effort to be on the frontlines, leading them and trying to inspire them or raise some level of hope.

Just as she spotted a somewhat dry spot to sit down and rest for a moment underneath a tent, someone called out to her.

"General!"

The Jedi looked up to see another officer, Sgt. Tag, running towards her with his squad behind him. "Ma'am, we've secured the area. Thirty dead and forty-nine wounded accounted for," the man with a green skull on his helmet said, attaching his blaster to the holder on his back. His men looked around at the makeshift camp before spreading out to attend to wounded and bring up the morale.

"From which battalion do the dead come from?" the Jedi General asked with wide eyes, glancing at a few of the men as they passed. "Twenty-nine from Ghost Company," the sergeant responded hesitantly, looking down at his feet in grief, "And one of ours."

"Who?" the Jedi sighed and closed her eyes, dreading the answer.

"Lieutenant Ryker, ma'am," a different clone replied, walking up to the two. His helmet was off and he looked to his superior with amber eyes and a tattoo on his right temple that said "Domino". Kao exhaled and glanced up to the sky briefly to say farewell to her comrade. Even though she had many men under her command, she tried to have a good standing with each and every one of them.

She also silently cursed, as she knew she'd have to find a replacement to take over his platoon. Looking at Domino, she sighed. "Corporal, I'm going to need you to take over as Sgt. for Tag's squad."

Tag and Domino narrowed their eyes at each other in curiosity. Oni gave a half smile at this, "Tag, you're being promoted to Lieutenant. I know you'll do well." Tag held back a stupid smile and saluted the general. "Thank you, general." He turned back to his-now Domino's squad-and gave them a nod before clapping his brother's shoulder and giving him an encouraging grin. Being one of the fresher clones to the Battalion, Domino looked a little reluctant. In his mind, it should have been Patch or Rango's promotion. Kao smiled at this, knowing he'd get the hang of it soon, hopefully.

"Oni," a corporal in green walked up to the conversation as lightning flashed across the sky, "You better come quickly, ma'am, it's Grayson." The Talravinian turned from her grief and paced to the temporary med bay they had set up so that their medical officers Rehd and Coric could work in a less brutal environment. Other officers within the battalion followed her, spreading out to help the medics assist the wounded. A few Advanced Recon Commandos were amongst the wounded, but a majority of them hailed from Kenobi's Ghost Company.

On a makeshift cot, a clone wearing half of his checkered armor was lying down. His breath was raspy and his eyes were closed. A gash about a foot long cut into his abdomen, the pieces of shrapnel responsible sitting on a side table next to the clone. Oni walked up to the edge of the bed and placed a gloved hand on her soldier's shoulder. "What happened?" she inquired as she felt his pulse and his burning, feverish skin.

Rehd, the officer in almost pure shamrock green, save for the thin white linings of his armor plates, who had lead them through the medical tent, faced her from the other side of the cot and gestured towards the hastily stitched up wound. "Grayson got caught in a spray of tank fire and the walker next to him exploded; he was standing too close to the blast and-"

"I see," Kao cringed and felt Grayson's temperature start to rise. Fevers from infection were pretty common the past few weeks with all the dampness and cold.

"I've done my best, but I don't have the proper equipment to fix everything," Rehd huffed, "This damned environment isn't helping the infection take its course." Oni nodded and placed a hand on Grayson's shoulder. She's known this man since the Battle of Geonosis and his passing would be a great loss to her and the Corps. The woman sighed as she felt waves of pain flowing from her comrade's Force signature. His chest heaved and he gave a raspy cough in his troubled sleep.

Lucas entered the tent and maneuvered past the medical officers, volunteers, and wounded. Reaching Grayson's cot, he stepped up to look his brother over. " _Vod_ ," he said in a mere whisper. Oni looked to the others and gestured with her head away from the scene, as though to say "let's give them some space". Grayson was under Lucas's command in Phantom Company; thus, they are closer to each other than the other members. It reminded Kao much of seeing Green and John interacting with such a strong brotherly bond.

As the Jedi Master departed alongside her men, she contemplated this. These men really only had each other in their lives. The only reality of family or companionship that they know is the brother right beside them. _Vods_ , they call them in Mando'a. Kao huffed to herself as her thoughts delved further. Within the team, there are multiple "families" or groups. But Green, their leader, is the patriarch to all of them, in a sense.

Being one of the oldest clones period and a lethal warrior, Green has earned a mass of respect from his younger brethren; thus they often look up to him for guidance. He has a close relationship with each clone under his watch, making sure he did his part to lead them to success in battle. Oni admires this, but at times, she would hate it, as his opinion influenced his men more than her own.

During the many times he would criticize her judgement or undermine her orders, his men would agree. Even though she outranked the marshal, Oni couldn't find it in herself to make him go against what he believed was best for his men. At times, she would either compromise with him or give in altogether and let _him_ call the shots.

The general walked around the camp until it was clear her help was no longer needed. Perhaps some down time could help quiet her mind.


	2. Chapter 2: Rain

**Chapter 2: Rain**

The rain continued on in a downpour, leaving nothing dry. A pro of this miserable state was the fact that the Seppies wouldn't risk searching for them in a storm like this. If the clones had to huddle together for warmth and sit on objects to keep from sinking into mud pits, the droids wouldn't make it five feet without getting stuck. The relief didn't come without consequence, however. From GAR Intelligence, this storm could last another week or so, meaning they had a lot of suffering to push through.

The Republic camp was quiet except for the loud pitter patter of the rain bouncing off the walkers and the crashed starship. Every clone had begun to blend in with his surroundings as the high mud levels made splashing all too common. Thus, sulking in their robes and crowding underneath whatever shelter available entailed the whole day.

For General Kao, inspecting battle tactics in the makeshift command center was her whole day. She searched endlessly for maneuvers that might gain them advantage in this fight. Most of them were a month too old to be used against the Seppies any longer or did not apply to their current situation. Her Jedi training required her to rely upon preset measures rather than creative thinking. This mantra style of leading would surely butt heads with the commander once he returned from scouting the city.

The Jedi Master's astromech, R5-C9, rolled into the tent, buzzing on about the rain. 'Her' wheels sloshed in the thin layer of brown liquid and crushed grass still drying up. Bronze plating shone from the little wash and reflected the glow of the holotable. She let out a couple of annoyed beeps as she parked next to the Jedi Master. "Ha," Oni laughed, "Don't worry, 'Cee, we'll be out of the rain soon."

Oni sat down on an empty crate and tapped her fingers against the smooth metal. Spare time like this allows thought to run wild. She wanted this war to be over more than anyone, her beliefs of following peace stronger than her will to fight. War had driven her home planet to fragments and autocracy. There, Oni being a general was a great honor and privilege, but the Jedi in her did not see it that way.

She was sympathetic to a certain extent of the soldiers. They had been bred purely for warfare and nothing more. What was to become of them after it was over? Clones have no rights or freedom outside of the GAR, something that made Oni's blood boil with anger. It went against her beliefs that they did not have the right to choose their own path, that they are just property of the Republic and nothing more. Oni has the choice to step away from the Jedi Order and pursue a path that she would otherwise not be able to follow due to the Code. But these men are born without that choice.

Kao often wondered if the clones ever wished for a different life. The way the Kaminoans program them, they are so loyal to the GAR that they wouldn't question their place in the galaxy. Then again, there are _some_ clones who were not programmed with such opinion-free thinking. Like a certain ARC commander.

* * *

Alpha-3, also known as "Green", was a rather stoic clone, his ARC training having matured him years beyond his brothers and harsh flash training hardening his soul. He was one of the first few clones ever bred for the Grand Army of the Republic. His batch was a failed attempt to alter certain genes of the Fett DNA. Clone Commander John and him were the only survivors of the alterations. They came out bigger than the other clones and had an enhanced immune system.

Instead of having an accelerated growth inserted into their genes, Green and John received hormone injections regularly that accelerated their growth even faster than the next batch of clones. After two years, they were already eight years old. The injections were spread out after this to ensure the two did not mature too quickly. They began to age like the others for the next eight years. This made Green 24 at the beginning of the Clone Wars, the same age as Oni.

Green's squad arriving at camp was the most exciting thing. Every clone got on his feet to see if there was something they could do to alleviate their boredom. A blob of brown...mostly brown...and green and white formed around the group, asking questions and offering assistance. Aways from the crowd, the commander approached the camp, his eyes scanning the rather pathetic excuse for a stake out, and walked through the mob without being questioned. Bigger and stronger than his normal clone brothers, Green easily made it to his destination.

Oni was analyzing the holo table when the commander stepped into the tent. His armor was dripping and his bodysuit was drenched. Mud splatters covered his shamrock-striped armor and the light tan robe he wore, which was shredded and worn out significantly. Water dripped from the darker green visor on his helmet, which protected his eyes from bright light. His T-visor was a transparent blue, with not as many light filters as in regular clone helmets. This was due to his design for night operations, requiring a visor to protect his eyes from harsh rays of light.

The Jedi Master didn't seem to notice as the marshal set his DC-15A on a nearby supply crate. He took a glance at her in curiosity before reaching up to take off his helmet. After he did so, his messy, less-than-neatly-cut hair, slick with sweat and rain, fell where it pleased, leading the clone to mess around with it for a few moments.

"Did you find a focal point?"

Green almost jumped from the Jedi's abrupt question. "No, ma'am," he replied, finishing with his grooming and taking a few strides over to the table. With a grunt, he leaned down onto the lip of the round projector opposite Oni and pointed towards the epicentre of the city. "We scouted this area, but it's not where the Seppies are operating from." The marshal glanced up to see Oni's reaction or response. But, per usual, she had none.

Green sucked in a breath, though fought to mask it. "Ma'am, I suggest we relocate and see if we have better luck catching the Separatists there. We've been here far too long for my liking, and I know the men would like to have a nice break after this is all finished." The commander was speaking in a rather humorous tone, but Oni wasn't interested in joking around.

"GAR Intelligence has told us that the Separatists are _here_ ," she said cooly, "Besides, the Droid Army has already set up a perimeter on the north and west sides of the city. My best guess is that while they are currently fighting us here in the south sector of the city, they're fortifying the west side." The woman finally made eye contact with her commander, only to see the questioning look he always gave her.

"We're _stuck_ , Commander," Kao stated for emphasis. Green had previously picked apart her idea of setting up base here weeks ago, and any other plan the Talravinian had ever formulated. She was sick and tired of him undermining her orders and was beginning to reach the edge, no matter how hard she tried to compromise with him.

Green sighed, "I'm not so sure about that, General. I think-"

"I value your opinion, Green," Oni interrupted with a firm look and a voice to match it, "But these are _my_ orders. We're staying here." The marshal raised a brow and looked at her in shock. This isn't the first time the general has used a harsh tone with him, but he never sees it coming when she does. Standing up straight, Green gave a slow, yet understanding nod. Oni lowered her frown and turned towards the holo table.

"I hope your _plan_ follows through, ma'am," the man said as he too glued his eyes to the table. Kao's jaw clenched at this and she huffed to herself.

An awkward and tense air filled the tent and the two officers tried their best to ignore it. Green resisted the persistent urge to glance up at the woman. It was as if they were in a reverse staring contest. Luckily for him, Rehd pushed past the canvas flaps and strode up. "Evening general, commander," he acknowledged both of them.

Green sighed in relief and stepped closer to his brother. The holo table was a war zone he wanted to retreat from. "Any news, doc?"

Kao glanced over her shoulder at this to listen in. She could bare to ignore Green and his attitude, but she wouldn't neglect the men they led. Rehd looked between them nonchalantly, knowing exactly what he had walked into. The tension amongst the top of the food chain was obvious to every man in the battalion who had eyes or ears. "Just the usual, Commander," Rehd reported, "Low supplies, food rations, and morale."

Oni rolled her eyes as Green opened his mouth to respond, predicting precisely what he was going to say….because it was _Green_.

"Well, I stressed that we should relocate in order to reduce the amount of time we spend here," he said casually, though with a hint of pride, for he thought that he was right.

Rehd nodded, "Mhmmm, and you, General?"

"I think it's a stup-"

"She gave orders to stay here and make the men push through the next week or so," Green interrupted, clearing his throat. He smiled at Rehd as the general pierced through him with the intimidating glare she was gifted with. The medical officer sighed, "I'm sure that's not what Oni said, Green." He handed the Jedi Master a datapad listing their stock at the moment.

"I would never say _osik_ things like that unless I got only thirty minutes of sleep every night and had to down four cups of caf in the morning," Oni said with a fake sweet smile in Green's direction as she took the device. She scrolled down the list and felt like smirking when Green glanced between her and his decee. But as she took inventory, that smirk disappeared.

"Eleven days?" Oni asked with wide eyes. Rehd sighed and nodded, "Yes, ma'am." He took back the datapad and turned it off. Green folded his arms, "Eleven days of supplies left?" Kao rolled her eyes, "Unfortunately. Not only medical supplies, but food and water as well."

"Got any bright ideas, general?" the marshal inquired, somewhat sarcastically. The Jedi Master sighed in annoyance. "I see someone only had three cups this morning," she mumbled under her breath. Looking back to Rehd, Oni gave a half-smile. "The best we can do is use our supplies sparingly for now." The medical officer nodded in agreement, "We can't afford to lose more supplies by moving the men at this point. How long until Delta Force arrives to take down the radio tower?"

Resuming her Jedi calm, the woman bit her lip in thought. "Commander Alpha-C stated that they are completing their mission on Muunilinst. Apparently, the CIS stationed a new droid factory in the city. From his account, they could take another two weeks to get here with reinforcements."

"You spoke with John?"

Oni looked over to her second-in-command. A genuine look of concern was plastered across his face. Instead of feeling the temptation to make a smart retort, Kao felt sympathetic. "He and Commander Tano are managing. Fortunately the droids aren't putting up enough of a fight to take them down." Green nodded at this before looking away. The general knew what it was like to be apart from a brother, having 13 of them back on her homeworld.

Rehd exhaled in frustration. His amber gaze scanned the room and landed on the holotable. "And the GAR can't spare anyone else to dispatch relief effort?" His answer was a simple shake of the head. "I'll make sure to brief the captains, then," he said with a salute. Oni smiled, "Thank you, Rehd. Take it easy."

"Yes, ma'am."

After the medical officer left, Oni glanced at her commander, who looked rather calm. He made eye contact with the Jedi before flickering his gaze elsewhere. Green sighed and turned to his decee, intent on inspecting every part of it to alleviate his boredom. Kao took this as a sign to leave and grabbed her cloak. The material had hardly dried out in the time she had been under the tent, but the general put it on anyway. As she stepped out into the rain, thunder rumbled above and the downpour increased.

The marshal looked over his shoulder at the woman standing outside the entrance. Once she disappeared, he returned to his self-assigned task and once more sighed. Green was honestly sick of fighting with his commanding officer. The last three months of the war have just been a feud between the two of them. He knew that their constant bickering did no good, but he couldn't help but voice his opinions. As an ARC, he was trained to have independent thought to get him out of sticky situations. It just so happened that the general he was assigned to didn't do well with said opinionated-thinking.

As a Jedi, she was trained to always follow the path that led to peace, and war was not one of them. Where she saw moral conflict, he saw tactical advantage. And if the next how many years of war go like this, they'll both lose. The thought made the marshal rub the faint beard that was beginning to form from lack of shaving.

Green finished inspecting his weapon and put it back together with trained speed. His evaluation of his own performance mixed with his current thoughts. The clone wondered if the general knew how to use other weapons in the event her lightsabers were not available to her. That led him to the thought that he should teach her how to do so, invoking a positive feeling that they would finally have a moment in which they did not argue about something. That is...unless she found blasters "not peaceful".

The sound of someone entering the tent pulled him from his thoughts. Lucas removed his helmet and stood at attention. "Commander," the man spoke in a sympathetic tone. Rehd must have told him about the banter between their commanding officers, which wasn't news to his ears. Gossip spread like the plague in the clone army.

Green groaned and turned to his brother. "At ease," he said, gesturing for Lucas to make himself comfortable. The captain obliged and sat on a nearby supply crate. "Suffering through the next week, huh?" he asked with humor. Green rolled his eyes lightly and chuckled. "That's what the general wants us to do. Her orders."

"They're still orders, Green," Lucas said more seriously now. "I know you don't like Kao's leadership, but could you at least try to compromise with her?" At this, the marshal scoffed. "I compromise with her, Lucas." His captain gave him an annoyed look that said otherwise.

"Okay, maybe I don't like her ideas, but I do respect her."

The look did not change.

Green folded his arms and raised a brow. "So what are you proposing I do then? No matter what I do, that woman is getting on my nerves." Lucas dropped the glare and gave a half smile. "Wow, I never thought I'd be giving you advice on women," the smile turned into a smirk. Now it was Green's turn to glare. "I'm dying of laughter, Lucas," the commander said, sighing in frustration.

"Okay, okay," Lucas held up his hands in mock surrender, "I have a few ideas that might fit your style."

* * *

The next few days would prove tiring, a paradox considering there was nothing to do but slug about and mope. No one performed so as the general. She managed to find an outcropping not too far from camp that allowed meager shelter from the merciless weather. Oni's astromech was able to squeeze underneath with hardly any wiggle room. If one was motivated enough, a small fire could be built and maintained in the small space to provide further shield from the rain.

Kao didn't bother to waste time and resources on such a luxury and decided it would be fair to suffer as her men did. She ate and drank the same amount that they were provided and helped around camp when needed. But in the hours when no work was up for grabs, the Jedi Master found herself slouching in her cave. It provided more warmth and peace than spending her free time in the command tent, arguing with the marshal, whom she has been ignoring for the past few days.

The robe slack against her body did practically nothing to make her feel warmth, yet she continued to wrap it around herself. Twenty years of training hadn't prepared her for anything like this. Sure, she could survive in harsh conditions like this for months with her connection to the Force, but add commanding an army, mental stress, and jarring warfare and she would collapse within days.

She believed herself alone and undiscovered until a certain someone had decided she was missing.

Oni sensed Green's presence approaching her, but she took no glance at him nor planned a greeting. His attitude would only be further provoked in conversation and thus make the general even more miserable. The woman continued to sit underneath the outcrop, water and mud dripping down her face. Lightning struck twice as the marshal ducked down and side-stepped into her hiding place. Positioning himself to sit on the other side of 'Cee, Green stopped.

Kao flinched when the mostly-dry blanket hit her face. When it fell, she narrowed her eyes and leaned against the rock wall. Half of her wanted to pick up the blanket and revel in its warmth, but the other half wanted to tell the man to go _fek_ himself and leave her alone. In her conflict, Oni found herself merely staring at the material now in a pile on the ground.

Green was already in a comfortable sitting position, keeping his mouth shut. He was going to take Lucas's advice and let her do her job on her terms. Though he hated the idea of it, he somewhat understood that it would be better for the troops if their leaders weren't in a constant state of bitching at one another.

R5-C9 beeped something the clone didn't understand and began rolling out of the little cave. She started mumbling to herself as soon as the water began pouring down on top of her, but she kept going.

Kao held back a groan, as she was now all alone with her commander, a very unwanted situation. Green glanced at the blanket and bit his bottom lip as to not let out a nasty comment. Instead, he scooted closer to the general and picked the blanket up. Oni watched him out of the corner of her eye as he unfolded it and looked back at her. Rolling her eyes, the Jedi Knight sat up and removed the old, soaked cloak. She allowed the commander to wrap the blanket around her shoulders.

Sitting back, the woman turned to Green with her mouth open, ready to say something. He met her gaze, waiting for some smart remark or criticism. But Oni muttered a small "thank you" and then returned to her own thoughts, pulling the blanket close. Green exhaled deeply and rested against the wall. "You're welcome...ma'am."

The man chuckled, thinking back to how even the first time they met each other, they had something to argue about. Oni was leaning against the door of the gunship, staring down at the Geonosian dunes passing by. They were on their way to the main battle zone when a sudden burst of turbulence almost sent the general falling to the sand below. Green, who was barely holding onto the handle next to her, reached out and secured her. With a nasty tone, he scoffed and said, "Tree huggers shouldn't be fighting a war."

That comment had deeply angered the woman, who turned back to him with a deathly glare. "Without peacekeepers, war would never end." Least to say, the next two minutes of the ride did not go without heated jabs and retorts. Green back then would have never guessed that he would be doing something _nice_ for her. This was all new terrain that he and his decked out armor were not prepared for.

"So this is where you scamper off to?" the commander inquired calmly, trying to spark some conversation to alleviate the tension. Oni scoffed at his humored question and shrugged. "I'm sorry if I feel trapped by the amount of testosterone running about." The woman inspected the blanket while she waited for Green's response.

"Well," the commander sighed, "Whenever I'm in a situation where I'm surrounded by estrogen, I'll let you know how that feels." Oni let the smile escape onto her face and she shook her head. "You're impossible," she muttered.

"I learned from the best," Green shot back sarcastically. Kao grunted and leaned back against the wall, feeling frustrated and like laughing at the same time. But, she was enjoying this moment. For once, they weren't in a state of banter. If it only took a small show of kindness and some small talk, perhaps this could happen more often.

* * *

It was insane to think that just one good encounter would completely change how General Kao and Marshal Commander Green treated each other. After their little moment in the outcropping, the two had split their separate ways and remained that way for the remainder of the day.

Later that evening, as the rain decreased to a drizzle, activity back at camp arose. Everyone rushed to resurrect fires consumed by the thunderstorm and pass food around. Standard issue rations were scarce now, and the 66th was forced to rely upon grain received from abandoned farmland stripped weeks ago.

Kao huddled around a fire alongside Lucas and Tag, all three working to prepare food for the injured. An old pot hung over the fire, boiling water collected from leaking tents. The captain checked it every few minutes. He worked to keep the fire going, adding small sticks at a time. Fuel for fire was also running low around camp, as the patrols had to travel further to find brushes and shrubs to collect from.

Luckily for the men, Oni knew how to make meager bread from the grain and had taught many of the men how to do so. She kneaded the dough while Tag placed the loaves onto a clay pan also found on the grounds of the farm. Whoever had lived there before had left everything, most likely driven out by the Separatists and sent to a prison camp somewhere on the planet.

Glancing at the amount of wood left to enrage the fire, Lucas wiped off his hands and made to stand up. When the general gave him a pressing stare, he gestured towards the flames. "I'm not sure how long we can keep this up, General. Soon, we'll be out of fire _and_ grain."

Oni sighed and handed the mass of dough to Tag, who began to place it on the pan. The Jedi Master smeared the leftover flour onto her shawl, getting up. "I know, Lucas," she said, "We'll have to figure something out until reinforcements arrive."

A clone with a medical symbol on his right shoulder plate approached the trio. "We're out of fresh water again," he grumbled. Oni's lips pressed into a thin line and she waved her hand at the pot. "It should be good enough to drink and clean wounds." Nodding crisply, the medic went back to the medical center to grab enough hands and cups for collecting water.

"Where's the commander?" Tag asked, checking a loaf before setting it back down to keep baking. Kao sighed, "He thought it would be a good idea to scout the sparse treeline a good mile from here."

"I hope he brings back something we can eat," Lucas said, laughing, "And some wood to heat these fires." The man moved past Oni in search of such precious fuel, wrapping his cloak about him. Tag turned to watch the captain go before turning to the bread again. "He seems just as humored about all of this as Green."

Oni raised a brow at the comment and sat down to knead more dough. It takes up pretty much the whole day to feed the battalion with just bread and water, even when there were nearly fifty other individuals baking and boiling as well. Kao did agree with Lucas in the fact that they needed more grub to pass around.

"Humored?"

Tag nodded slowly. "Those two see our predicament as a textbook training scenario," he said, poking the fire with a tactical knife, "Green thinks he knows the solution to this, doesn't he?"

Kao scoffed, "Of course he does. He sees this from a technical standpoint, and not from common sense."

Tag was one of the few men that spoke openly with Oni and did not question her authority as Green did. He agrees with her choosing to stay rather than risk further injuring the wounded by moving them. They were running out of supplies either way and did not have the means of transporting everyone. From a textbook training view, they needed to move to an area where they had an advantage; yet from a another point of view, they would lose far too many men to make the trip worth it.

"Perhaps he'll realize that moving the men now pretty much means certain death," the man growled. Kao sighed, "We don't have the supplies or energy to do such a thing. Most of the wounded can't be moved without furthering their injuries, yet the marshal believes it to be the smartest course of action."

"ARCs," Tag said, "The creative thinking gets to their heads and all of a sudden they wish for a glorious death in the name of the Republic."

"Do you not wish for such an end in this war?" Oni asked with honest curiosity.

"I would lay my life down for my brothers," Tag said, making eye contact with Kao, "That is the only glorious death I hold to heart." His general gave an approving smile. "I hold the same," she said, "On my planet, blood is as thick as it gets. Family comes first, until death parts us."

Tag hummed in thought for a moment as Oni passed him another loaf. "That's probably the only thing that separates us from the droids." Kao chuckled, "We're all just tiny cogs in one giant machine, same as them. One can only hope to survive until the end."

* * *

Oni aided Rehd and the other medics in passing bread and water to the wounded. She had to help a few sit up enough to drink, though most were able to manage on their own. At the mere sight of the cooling bread, mouths watered and fingers plucked the luxury from the Jedi's hands gratefully. Kao hated to see her men look at it in such a way, as if they held no hope for tomorrow.

Hope was dwindling rapidly. It looked as though the 66th was going to end up stranded and starving. And when the storm blows over, one would be right to be that the droid army would go looking for them. At that point, it's game over.

Once supper had been served for the day, Oni began collecting cups and pans to be sanitized. As she grabbed the empty cups from her men, Kao would place them in the pot she carried around with her left hand. Her right hand checked their foreheads to see who had a fever. Most of the injured were burning up.

Someone plucked the pot from the general's hand. She quickly stopped inspecting the blaster wound on Buster's arm to see who it was. As soon as Green appeared in her vision, Oni rolled her eyes lightly and turned back to Buster. The rookie was hardly conscious, his eyes fluttering open here and there. Fever was taking its toll on the man.

"What do you want, Green?"

"Just came to see if there's anything I can do to help."

Kao glanced over her shoulder, slightly regretting her rude tone of voice. "Everything needs to be washed so the medics can make more water. Ghost and Harper have a cleaning station across from the command center." Her attitude was replaced with sincerity. The Talravinian managed a half smile. Green nodded and looked around at the sad excuse of a medical center. That and he was somewhat bothered by Oni's immediate rejection of his aide.

"I still don't understand why you won't move these men and get them out of this hell hole."

Oni placed her hands on her hips and was about to snap before someone popped into the tent. Captain Lucas, who looked out of breath, handed a chip to the general. "Ma'am, the scouts found something you should see."

* * *

An hour after the scouts reported their discovery, the commanding officers of the 66th found themselves in the makeshift control center, huddled around a holotable. Clones sat on crates, using larger storage bins as tables as they inspected maps, gave orders to patrols, and listened to Separatist radio chatter. General Kao and Commander Green waited patiently for the remaining officers to arrive. This last minute meeting was warranted by the scouts' findings. If what they believe is true, the Separatists would be marching through their camp by tomorrow night.

Gossip spreads quickly through the ranks, so by the time everyone was settled and awaiting the briefing, most were well aware of the situation. Once the medical officers checked in, Kao stepped forward and cleared her throat. Dead silence followed and she looked around the tent. "Alright, gentlemen," she started, "For those of you not aware of the situation…"

The Jedi pulled up an image on the holotable. One of the scouts had managed to record footage of a Separatist base receiving new shipments of droids and tanks. The CIS presence on Lothal now outnumbered the GAR a hundred to one. And by the looks of how they were aligning their forces, the Seppies were gearing for a mass assault on their "base". This was no longer turf battle, but total war.

The chatter amongst the officers returned along with shock from those who weren't informed. This isn't the first time the 66th had to change tactics or their FOB, but that wasn't the obstacle in this circumstance.

Green stepped forward and changed the image to a prepared route of evacuation. The safest and most logical place to go was the savannah to the west, which was a swampland after the rains. The droids could march through the muddy prairies with their tanks and all-terrain vehicles, but they couldn't in the swamps without losing quite a few of their numbers. It is also a lot harder to track in a swamp than their current terrain.

"It is a six day trip from our current position to the western swampland," the marshal spoke, receiving a small glare from Kao. She wasn't exactly thrilled that he was taking over the briefing. "Our problem," Green started, glancing at the medical officers, "Is moving the injured. After we lost most of our vehicles in the last battle, we're low on transportation for the wounded."

"We have almost a hundred men in the medial camp," Oni said with regret, "And only enough metal to carry at the most sixty."

"And we have less than a rotation to do so," Green stated, looking down at his general. She nodded to this and looked at the men surrounding them. They all wore tired and frustrated faces. None of them were spared from the cold, nightmarish thought that brothers would be left behind or worse, they would all be left behind to be mercilessly killed by the Separatists.

"Putting the critically injured on the tanks and having the less worrisome walk is out of the question." Oni looked up at Rehd, who was standing beside Coric, looking pissed at the whole ordeal just as much as anyone else. "None of those men could survive walking for six days straight," he added.

Green acknowledged this with a crisp nod, "Supplies are low as well. Our rations and medical supplies might last us roughly four days, if used sparingly." A series of grunts and groans filled the room. A couple officers, including Lt. Tag and Cpt. Lucas shook their heads and rubbed at their worn faces. Others began to think that hope was lost and that it would all end in a rain of fire. Oni could sense this and a burning rage lit in her stomach. She was not going to let her men die without the feeling of hope: no soldier should go out that way.

"As your general," she started, earning the attention of the men, "I could make the decision myself here and now." Green narrowed his eyes at her and considered arguing with her about how decisions should be made. The other clones gave her curious looks that pressed her to continue. "But," Oni sighed, "I'm not going to do that. I need to know what _you_ believe is the best for our battalion. I am open to your suggestions, but know this: I will not leave _any_ man behind, no matter the cost. We all go, or no one goes. Is that understood?"

A chorus of "yes, ma'am" sang confidently and proud in the tent. Even Green participated in the act. He was shocked at the general's sudden acclaim. She had never been the most enthusiastic about war nor the most prepared for it. The marshal felt his respect for her grow significantly.

Domino folded his arms over his chest. "General, if I may," he looked to the general, who nodded, "The way I see it, if we all stay, those men are dead. If we go, they might have a chance to live." Fellow clones murmured in agreement. Green gave a half-smile, "How do you propose we get those men through the trip?"

The tattooed sergeant smirked. "I have a less-than-orthodox plan, Commander." Green raised a brow and looked towards Kao, looking as though he were asking for her approval. Oni cocked an eyebrow back at him and then turned her attention to Domino. "Let's hear it."


	3. Chapter 3: The Plan

**Chapter Three: The Plan**

 _Just beyond No Man's Land..._

"Unorthodox indeed," the general sighed as she laid down in the mud alongside her officers. Commander Green was to her left and didn't look too happy about this plan either. Being neck-deep in grimy mud and soaking in it for hours while waiting for Seppies to come isn't exactly fun.

Turning to Tag, who was a couple men down on the other side of Kao, the marshal called out to him, though in a hushed voice.

"Is Medallion company in position yet?"

The lieutenant pulled out his set of binoculars and looked around until he spotted the two squads. "Just about, sir," he reported, "The perimeter should be set up by the time the tinnies start their assault." Green grunted at that, "And how long again until that is?"

"Eh, only another hour or so according to our scouts. They can't see much from the building, but it doesn't look like the droids are in formation yet."

The clone sitting immediately next to Oni's right, Captain Lucas, shifted. His armor popped out of the mud before crashing down with a 'smack'. "Remind me to maim Domino after this is all over," he said to the general. Oni glanced at her captain with a less than enthusiastic look. "At least you have a bodysuit that keeps out all the grit from the mud," she said. Her Jedi armor was uncomfortable at the moment, not being as weather-proofed as the clone plastoid. The black material that she didn't dare to call a bodysuit was more for looks than actual protection. She'd probably need a good hour in the refresher to get it all out.

"Might I bring up the custom clone armor topic again?" Green asked sarcastically, "I told you that your armor isn't as efficient as ours." Tag's black visor stared at the ground, "Oh my god." Lucas shook his helmet and groaned, "Not this again."

Oni sighed in annoyance, "The next chance you have to chew my head off for an hour, be my guest, but this time I'd rather spend it worrying about the plan."

"Alright," the marshal said in a sing-song voice. An open invitation to prove he's right won't be taken for granted.

Lucas rolled his eyes and wiped away the rain that covered his visor. Unintentionally, he smeared mud, blocking a portion of his vision. "Nevermind Domino," he growled, "I'm gonna kill the _di'kuts_ at GAR Intelligence for this." At times, the captain hated them more than the droids they were fighting.

Oni brought up her comlink and used a finger to clear off the sludge. "Alright, boys, are the charges set?" Static was her answer; still, she waited.

Green gave Kao a questioning look, not aware that explosives were part of the plan. His brothers also glanced his way, looking for confirmation of some sort. Through their internal helmet comms, of which General Kao could not hear, Lucas was very skeptical.

"Domino didn't mention _that_. What is she up to?"

Green grunted and cautiously peeked at the general from the corner of his visor. He wasn't sure if her Jedi radar could pick up what they were saying. To him, the Force was a mystery and rather terrifying.

A rookie's voice came over Oni's wrist comm. " _In place, sir. Harper and I are on our way back with whatever we could find,"_ he said, sounding a little out of breath as he was running back to the lines.

"Were you able to recover anything?" asked the Jedi. The clone's voice came back more consistent, and the group could hear orders being barked out in the background. " _A few rifles, ammunition, rations, and a few medpacs from a walker."_ Kao nodded in approval and glanced at Green. "Good job, Dakota. Drop the ammo off on the first perimeter and send someone to run the supplies to the medical train."

" _Yes, ma'am."_

Lucas, Tag, and Green all turned to the general for an explanation. "Domino didn't mention charges," Tag stated the obvious. Oni narrowed her eyes, not enjoying that one of her few allies was questioning her now too.

"Let's go over the plan," said Oni, who began drawing shapes in the ground. Two squares were carved next to each other. Kao dug a little 'x' inside each of them and then looked at Lucas. "The scouts have taken position on the fortieth floor of each of these buildings. Once the droids amass for their assault, the scouts will come back and aid us in the inevitable battle." Three inches down from the squares, Oni etched two curved lines to symbolize two armies fighting each other.

"We are going to take out the advancing droids to buy some time for the medical train to get as far as possible. Like Rehd mentioned before, none of those men will be able to walk for six days straight."

The plan was pretty much a "go out with a big bang" feel to it. The droids were already gearing for full-fledged assault on their base, so the whole battalion needed to move as soon as possible. Domino's suggestion was for those able to fight to pretty much act as a shield for the wounded to retreat. At some point, the droids wouldn't follow them any longer, as they need to keep their position within the city. The plan was shaky, but it was better than sitting in a mud pit and waiting for the droids to slaughter them.

"Leading them to have to rest," Lucas commented. He realized what Oni had caught onto and leaned in, giving her plan a more supportive glance. She took this as encouragement and continued. "Exactly. In order to do so, we cannot have the droids following us for very long."

Kao smirked, "So we blow them up." The officers, excluding Green, looked amongst themselves with hope brimming in their eyes. "As soon as the droids reach No Man's Land, we'll cut them down so far that they can't possibly think of following us without sacrificing resources from other warzones. Even if they try, by the time they recuperate, we've already disappeared within the untrackable swamplands. And thanks to the weather on Lothal right now, the vulture droids can't really operate. Besides, all air support has been sent to Kenobi's front based on radio chatter."

"Clever," the marshal's voice came.

Everyone turned to him, shock apparent on their faces. Oni raised a brow at her commander and side glanced at her mud painting. "So you approve?" she asked plainly. Green nodded crisply and shrugged, "It's logical and involves blowing stuff up. I like it." This made Kao unable to hold back a smile. Finally, they agreed on a set plan.

"The ARCie agreeing with the general," Lucas said, turning to look towards the city, "Well that's something you don't see everyday." Kao nodded in agreement, though decided against joining in on the teasing. Green expected a retort from her but was pleasantly disappointed.

Oni blinked her eyes. The pair of macrobinoculars she borrowed barely spared her vision from the rain and wind. Mud caked in between the plates of her battle armor and seeped very uncomfortably through her jumpsuit. Green's suggestion of clone armor poked into her thoughts, but she quickly cast it out in favor of her pride. Plus, it looked as though she would only have to suffer for a few more days.

After surveying the progress of the mission one more time, Lt. Tag pulled himself out of the sludge and took a low knee. "Ghost and Domino spotted a few droid tanks being prepped. All we have to do now is wait for the Separatists to start forming up and marching."

The general nodded in approval and turned to the two officers to her right. "I need the both of you to update the plan to the rest of the men and make sure they are ready. Make sure those medpacs reach the medical train."

"Yes, ma'am," Lucas and Tag said in unison, making quick work of completing their tasks.

"You said General Kenobi is distracting the droid army on his side of the city, correct?"

Kao turned to Green and tried to sense where he was getting at. They had discussed this back during the briefing; Green was never a man to miss details or second guess them later on...unless they were regarding _her_ plans. "He's likely holding a good portion of their attention," she finally replied, "So, yes. The droids won't be able to send reinforcements after us without pulling from Kenobi's front."

"The Separatists have been playing defense so far," Green added, "This is the first time they have gone on the offense. Sure, they've pushed us back pretty far, but they have always returned to their perimeter. I'm wondering what they're hiding in there."

"What did you see when your team scouted the city?" Oni asked. The marshal did not have the time or security to search the entire city, but he at least found a route through that could possibly lead to the Separatist HQ.

The commander reached into one of his pouches and pulled out a small datapad. Turning the device on, he brought up the general schematics of the city. Kao scooted closer to get a good look. Green looked up at her for a moment and then pointed towards a massive plaza near the middle of the city. "We were able to at least see this from our scouting position on the outskirt skyscrapers. There were at least two battalions of B1's down there, and a couple lines of tanks to go with it."

"No human shields or proton cannons?" Oni asked somewhat humorously.

Green gave out a small chuckle. "This isn't Ryloth, general. All of the city locals were absent during the bio-planetary scan, remember?" Kao rolled her eyes, though with a smirk planted on her face. "Okay, okay. But if their anti-aircraft turrets aren't there, then where?"

"I guess we'll have to wait for Delta Force to get here to find out," the marshal said reluctantly, "We were barely lucky to get a view of the plaza considering how the city is densely packed with skyscrapers. The Seppies could be hiding their HQ and air base anywhere in there. Once we can get air support, we'll know."

Kao sighed and took another look at the map. "I'm seeing a pattern here."

Green raised a brow underneath his helmet and grunted curiously, giving her his attention. "Oh?"

"The Separatists always seem to defend their cities the same way. A radio tower guarded by some sort of anti-aircraft turret, a very well hidden HQ, and then an airbase within the city's abandoned industrial district." Oni's brow furrowed in thought. "When we were on Muunilinst, what were the droids hiding from us that Delta Force recently discovered?"

"A ray-shielded droid factory on the west side of the city," Green stated, confused by her revelation. Oni smirked at him, "And where would this droid factory be weak from if it just so happened to be on the outskirts of the city while the north, east, and south sides of the city are pre-occupied?"

"The west." Green grumbled, "Oni, what are you getting at?"

"Green, we're headed for the west side...where the droid factory probably is," Oni said with a surprised face, "Delta Force just recently found the Muunilinst droid factory, so the one on this planet's capital wouldn't have had time to relocate. Once reinforcements from both Kenobi and Tano arrive, we might be able to take that factory down and shut down reinforcements to the droid army. From there we may have a better shot of finding the turrets, taking them out, and returning air support to our side."

Green looked at her agape for a few moments. "Now you're starting to sound more like an ARC than a Jedi. I like it." Oni scoffed half-humoredly and looked away. "I guess I get it from you."

"Oh, if only," Green mocked. Turning serious, the clone commander pointed towards the west side of the city. "If the droids get a sense that we are headed west, do you think they will fortify that part of the city?"

Kao nodded, "Most likely. But we'll establish a new base further away from the city and wait until our reinforcements get here." Green had a look of approval and put the hologram away. "I can't wait until John gets here to help us turn these tinnies into scrap metal."

Oni smirked as she wiped away the mud drawings out of sheer boredom. "The thought of two Greens terrifies me," she said with a laugh, flicking the brown goop away. Her eyes locked onto the scorched battlefield to see tiny white and shamrock green figures running back and forth, slowly making their way back.

"We'll behave, I promise," Green chuckled.


End file.
